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Erwin Chemerinsky
|birth_place = Chicago, Illinois |death_date = |death_place = |residence = |citizenship = |nationality = |ethnicity = |fields = Constitutional law, civil procedure |workplaces = DePaul College of Law (1980–83) University of Southern California Law School (1983–2004) Duke School of Law (2004–2008) University of California, Irvine School of Law (2008–''present'') |alma_mater = Northwestern University (1975) Harvard Law School (1978) |doctoral_advisor = |academic_advisors = |doctoral_students = |notable_students = |known_for = |author_abbrev_bot = |author_abbrev_zoo = |influences = |influenced = |awards = |religion = |signature = |footnotes = }} Erwin Chemerinsky (born May 14, 1953) is an American lawyer and law professor. He is a prominent scholar in United States constitutional law and federal civil procedure. He is the current and founding dean of the University of California, Irvine School of Law, which began classes in the fall semester of 2009. Early life and education Raised in a working-class Jewish family on Chicago's South Side, Chemerinsky attended the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools for high school. He then earned a bachelor's degree in communication from Northwestern University in 1975 where he competed as a debater and then attended Harvard Law School, graduating in 1978. Professional career Chemerinsky taught for over twenty years at the University of Southern California Law School and at DePaul University College of Law before moving to Duke University on July 1, 2004, and then UC Irvine in July 2008. In 1995, Chemerinsky was a commentator on the O.J. Simpson trial on KCBS-TV, KNX, and CBS News. Chemerinsky has published six books (three of which having been printed in multiple editions), numerous articles, and a regular column on the United States Supreme Court carried by California Lawyer, the Los Angeles Daily Journal, and Trial Magazine. Chemerinsky has also argued several cases before the United States Supreme Court, including Scheidler v. NOW, Tory v. Cochran, Van Orden v. Perry and Lockyer v. Andrade. Politics Chemerinsky is pro-gun control and disagreed with the decision in Heller vs. DC, saying that even if an individual right to bear arms exists, the District of Columbia was justified in restricting that right because they believed that the law would lessen violence. George Will specifically mentioned and responded to Chemerinsky's argument in a column that ran four days later. Chemerinsky believes that Roe v. Wade was correctly decided. He says, "Judicial activism is the label for the decision that people don't like." He also believes that gay marriage should be legal. Chemerinsky also represents a client held at the Guantanamo Bay detention center. He is in favor of affirmative action. Irvine 11 Chemerinsky has defended freedom of speech from the Heckler's veto. Following an incident in which nine members of the (UCI) Muslim Students Union disrupted a speech by Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren, Chemerinsky asserted that broad freedom exists to invite speakers and hold demonstrations, but that once a speaker has begun an invited lecture, “You have the right – if you disagree with me – to go outside and perform your protest. But you don’t get the right to come in when I’m talking and shout me down. Otherwise people can always silence a speaker by heckler’s veto, and Babel results.” Israel: Interrupted in Irvine By David Lumb on Feb. 15, 2010, New University http://www.newuniversity.org/2010/02/news/israel-interrupted-in-irvine/UC Irvine's free speech debate Students and others who disrupted an address by the Israeli ambassador to the U.S. can't claim 1st Amendment rights, Erwin Chemerinsky, Los Angeles Times, Feb. 18, 2010, http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-chemerinsky18-2010feb18,0,2972313.story After the interruptions, Ambassador Oren completed his remarks and canceled the Q&A session.Oren made his government's points, despite fleeting student outbursts The students were arrested by City of Irvine Police, who were on hand. Recent publicity In addition to teaching at the School of Law, Chemerinsky also teaches undergraduate classes in Political Science. President Clinton briefly considered Chemerinsky for an opening on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. However, his brief candidacy ended when Senate Republicans sent the word that his nomination would be dead on arrival. In 2006 he declined an offer to become the next dean at the University of North Carolina School of Law. He was then a finalist to become dean at Duke University School of Law. Appointment controversy to head the UCI School of Law On September 20, 2007, Chemerinsky was approved by the Regents of the University of California as the founding dean of the planned University of California, Irvine School of Law, resolving a hiring controversy.http://today.uci.edu/news/release_detail.asp?key=1665 After signing a contract on September 4, 2007, the hire was rescinded by UCI Chancellor Michael V. Drake, because he felt the law professor's commentaries were "polarizing" and would not serve the interests of California's first new public law school in 40 years; Drake claimed the decision was his own and not the subject of any outside influence.Garrett Therolf and Henry Weinstein, UC Irvine aborts hiring Chemerinsky as law school dean , Los Angeles Times, September 13. The action was criticized by both liberal and conservative scholars who felt it hindered the academic mission of the law school, and few believed Chancellor Drake's claims that it was not the result of outside influence.Garrett Therolf and Henry Weinstein, UC Irvine aborts hiring Chemerinsky as law school dean, Los Angeles Times, September 13.Dana Parsons, Excuse for UCI's fumble on law school dean not good enough, Los Angeles Times, September 13, 2007. The issue was the subject of an editorial in The New York Times on Friday, September 14. Details emerged revealing that UCI had received criticism on the hire from California Chief Justice Ronald M. George, who criticized Chemerinsky's grasp of death penalty appeals, as well as a group of prominent Orange County Republicans and Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, who wanted to derail the appointment. Drake traveled over a weekend to Durham, North Carolina, and the two reached an agreement late Sunday evening.Garrett Therolf, Chemerinsky returns to UC Irvine post, Los Angeles Times, September 17, 2007. On September 17, Chemerinsky issued a joint press release with UCI Chancellor Michael V. Drake indicating that Chemerinsky would head the UCI law school, stating "Our new law school will be founded on the bedrock principle of academic freedom. The chancellor reiterated his lifelong, unqualified commitment to academic freedom, which extends to every faculty member, including deans and other senior administrators."OC Blog: Statement From Chemerinsky & Drake Notable Commissions *LAPD panel reviewing the Rampart Scandal *LA commission reviewing irregularities in LA city contracting. *Helped write the LA city charter. *Helped draft the Belarus constitution. Publications Chemerinsky has published several books: *''The Conservative Assault on the Constitution'' (Simon & Schuster 2010) *''Enhancing Government'' (Stanford University Press 2008) *''Federal Jurisdiction'' (Aspen Law & Business 5th ed. 2007) *''Constitutional Law: Principles and Policies'' (Aspen Law & Business 3d ed. 2006) *''Constitutional Law'' (Aspen Law & Business 2d ed. 2005) *''Interpreting the Constitution'' (Praeger 1987) In addition, Chemerinsky has published over one hundred law review articles, including publications in the Harvard Law Review, Yale Law Journal, Stanford Law Review, Michigan Law Review, Northwestern University Law Review, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, and Southern California Law Review. Personal Chemerinsky is married to Catherine Fisk,http://www.law.duke.edu/features/2004/profsrecruited.html who is a law professor at UC Irvine.UCI Profile, Catherine Fisk References External links *Duke University School of Law biography *University of Southern California Law School biography *PLI Faculty *UCI Faculty Category:1953 births Category:American legal scholars Category:Duke Law School faculty Category:Guantanamo Bay attorneys Category:Harvard Law School alumni Category:Living people Category:People from Irvine, California Category:University of California, Irvine faculty Category:Scholars of constitutional law Category:Law school deans Category:American Jews Category:Northwestern University alumni